Child of Fate
by Of-Thieves-and-Liars
Summary: Terra had a secret she kept close to her heart but when her life is torn away she finally has to face her fate head on. When the world is changing so quickly around you how do you know who to trust. All characters involved and no romance planned as of yet.
1. Chapter 1

Hello, this story follows the tale of my character as she meets her fate head on. Set a few months after the Avengers. As you might expect I own nothing of the Marvel Universe but I do enjoy borrowing them from time to time. Hope you enjoy and happy reading.

They think this will help me cope, to release the stress I guess but honestly I feel a bit silly. I wouldn't be doing this at all if the pirate hadn't made the damn thing mandatory... but I digress. I should start with the important stuff like my name, Terra, Terra Nova Starr...Yeah don't laugh I had hippie parents but thats besides the point. Im twenty two and on my way towards a degree in creative writing...not really sure what the hell Im going to use it for but thats part of growing up Im told. Never really had a home, more like I grew up all over the country... Like I said...hippie parents. Don't get me wrong they are awesome...or.. they were. Safire Starr and Cole Starr the people who crafted me to be who I am today, taught me everything and showed me that I could enjoy the smallest things in life. I miss that, I miss standing outside the bus and looking at the stars with the grass beneath my feet and flowers braided in my hair by a flickering fire. Oh the bus, an old short bus my parents had renovated to fit our life style or at least theirs, I sorta came along after the bus but thats not my life anymore. Its all agent this and sir that, sigh, how times change.

I suppose theres more to tell, I could spend days on this but the beginning may help. Ive always known I was adopted but that never made them any less my family. I always knew what love looked like because I watched it around me every day. The little touches when they passed each other or they way a look could make them smile. My mothers favorite flower left on her seat when she returned or my fathers favorite meal after a hard day at the markets where they sold what they could make with their hands. I didn't know I was different when I was little, they just wanted me to be me what ever that meant. The weird little things I did were no big deal. When I met other kids I just assumed they were the same until the first time I felt the shame of being a freak. It was so stupid really just me doing something that felt so natural and the boy I was playing with screamed, at first I was terrified...but when I realized it was me...I scared him...who I was terrified him I felt horrified. I was so revolted by myself that I locked myself in the bus and refused to leave...not that it was effective.

I learned that day that even if mom and dad were ok with who I was, most people wouldn't be and...I wasn't. A hard lesson but Ive used it every day since. So as I grew the wild child with hippie parents but I knew when to be me and when to keep it all inside. You can imagine their surprise when I became a teenager and graduated my parents extremely lax version of high school (frankly I had higher standards of education then they did) I made the crazy choice to ship off to collage...I tried a little of everything but I wanted to make my parents proud so whenI found a nitch for myself in creative writing I ran with it and just as always they supported it fully.

I suppose collage was the scariest thing I had ever experienced up until a few weeks ago. My mother was always my pillar, hell, growing up I wanted to grow up to be her. She was the kindest person I ever met, she always smelled like the outdoors and rose water. When I was upset I would hold her favorite blanket to my face and surround myself with the smell, I think that was the only reason I made it through my first few semesters away from them. She showed me how the universe worked, how we were all connected. I remember watching her work turning dirty stones and scraps of metal into amazing pieces of beauty, on my sixteenth birthday she gave me my own special necklace telling me she had been working on it the day they took me in. Every time I found something I though was pretty or interesting she would save it and weave it into the necklace until it told the story of my childhood. I haven't taken off since.

My dad was the strongest man alive, don't give me any bullshit about Thor or the big green guy you could never convince me other wise. He would pick me up when I would beg him to put me closer to the clouds and let me sit on his shoulders for hours or go chasing after me when I galavanted off into the forest chasing the wildlife and catch me after a few long strides. He could build a fire with his eyes closed and identify every blade of grass, every tree, every fish in the river or bird in the tree. I was sure he knew everything and he was the first to see what he called my gift. I was holding a little flower bulb and all I wanted was to see the flowers but the season hadn't started yet. Mom always said the universe hears us when we call out to it so I did with everything my six year old self had and when I opened my eyes to hear him gasp and the flower peeled open into the beauty I had been begging for. That night we celebrated.

Its all changed now, gone are the flowers and the stars. Now Im all about the regulated uniform of government housing. White walls, clean lines, starchy sheets, a minimalists heaven...Its not great. In fact I would go so far as to say its hell for a girl like me but it seems like the whole world is changing around us so Im not as alone as I feel, not that that though helps when I cant fall asleep but its something. Two months ago the world was normal, sure weird stuff happened but that was normal weird, we knew what to expect. Not so much any more...before we knew the news would come on every night with stories of robberies or car crashes or the presidents dog having puppies but that changed when the sky opened up over New York and an army of aliens led by a norse god attacked only to be stopped by hero's, hero's that were larger then life. I mean Stark we already knew to expect but the others...monsters, gods, legends, myths, agents. Maybe our world was just in the dark about these things but I can tell you it was one hell of a surprise for me.

How did I end up here? I wish I knew...I mean...I know but...theres just so many questions. I guess I never really learned anything as a kid...My parents were the most amazing human beings to ever exist in my book and as much as they spoke of the universe I don't think they understood our world very well because I could never be accepted and my "gift"...I think I got them killed and no matter how much of this log I write because some SHIELD phycologist told me it would help I will never be able to accept that. My father called it my gift but he was wrong...Its my curse.

Next time we discuss just what happened to Terra's parents and her gift. Also the Avengers will all slowly be making their appearance here. Have any questions, comments, or concerns feel free to leave a message after the tome...beep

-Thieves


	2. Chapter 2

Well Hello again, chapter two. Hope you enjoyed that little introduction to Terra but here we will get a little deeper into her history before we can more forward. As always I own nothing but my own character. Hope you enjoy.

SHIELD, their like the big bad wolf to my already terrifying nightmares. When my life fell apart they stepped in to "save" me yet some how they are just as scary as the forces that ripped my life away. "Talk about it" thats all I keep hearing but frankly I don't trust any of these damn people, I mean, would you? I trust inanimate objects more then then the people Im surrounded by but thats to be expected I guess. The only two people I truly knew in this world are dead, probably because of me. Not exactly any easy subject to just chat about with a stranger let alone a SHIELD stranger.

Again, when I try to think things through I feel like its all just bouncing around my skull. Some people go numb, the events blur...For me I feel like I know every detail and it wont let me rest. Every second of the worst day of my life etched into my memory forever...Thats where I am right now. I close my eyes and it all stats again. Maybe I should start from the beginning instead of trying to work through the flashes that flare when Im least expecting it.

When I left for school my parents were worried it was because I didn't enjoy the life I had. It took a lot of convincing that I just wanted to add to my life, when I did there was one agreement we all came to. I couldn't just leave my old life behind entirely so every summer I would take time off to come back and live the life I loved before I started back in the life I was building for myself. So this summer when I finished up finals I packed up and went home. Sure for most people that means the house where they grew up and the community they were raised in but for me that meant surrounded by the great big world with my parents at my side.

It all started so normal that, there was simply no warning. I woke up like any other day. I never slept better then when I was on the bus in the hanging bed my father had built me when I was young. With familiar ease I rolled out of it, wrapped my self in the wool blanket an old women from Mexico who had grown up knowing my mother had woven for me and wandered into the dew covered grass to meet my father where he was already cooking breakfast. "What would you say to a wander today?" I remember my father asking and the flood of excitement. It was something we always did when I was younger. Set out in the morning light with no direction simply wandering the country side and to save my mothers worry make sure to wander back before the next morning.

It was a great day the weather was mild and there was a breeze that shifted the trees above us. We never packed lunch to take, instead my father would use the time to show me how the earth could provide for us if only we knew where to look. After a meal of wild eatables we found a small clear lake and it was to perfect to pass up. Our swim in the cool water was refreshing and after we found a sunny spot and simply lay out next to each other.

When I close my eyes I can still see his face but I fear one day I will close my eyes and take a deep breath and nothing will come to my minds eye so even though it hurts I try to think about them, to see then every day. I remember beneath his thick dark beard he had the wrinkles of a man who always smiled. His blue eyes so bright and loving. His hands were always calloused from working wether that be carving or building a fire or fixing the never end problems with the bus, his arms strong and tanned from the sun.

We talked about my life ,about my school, about friends I had made or new people I had met that interested me. He told me of the markets I had missed, old family friends who sent their best wishes. I told him about my newest works and he begged me to read them that night around the fire which made me blush. He asked me about my plans and as any father would about my love life but there was really nothing to tell because wether he realized it or not I never let anyone close. I had to huge a secret to hide so even though I told him about Tracy who I roomed with or Kelly and David who I shared classes with I never let him know that frankly, I was a loner.

As we headed back to mom I felt the calm and peace of letting the stress of school evaporate. Expectations of a summer with my favorite summer markets and helping my mother collect for her jewelry. We walked in silence and for some reason that bothers me now. I wish I had told him everything I will never get to tell him now. He should have heard just how much I loved him before he died.

As we approached camp all I could think was it was so strangely quite. My mother was always moving, always humming or whistling or singing but there was always noise. I use to find fire so comforting but not any more. As we walked up we could both tell something was amiss. For one thing there was new comers in our camp, the fire was too big, verging on out of control and my mother, the free spirt who was always so full of life and moment was unnaturally still in the mans hands. It took me a split second to understand that my father screamed her name as he ran past me. That first call, the crack in his voice was something I had never heard before. The pain and fear that came from a man who saw the women he loved with every fiber of his being as she dropped from the strangers grasp. He didn't make it far before he simply froze in place his head dropping to almost stare in wonder at the knife that had found its mark buried to the hilt in the center of his chest I saw it leave the mans hand I saw every rotation it made before it slipped so easily into his chest piercing his heart. As he fell to his knees there was a scream and I honestly didn't know until much later that it was me. It felt like a life time as I watched him fall to his knees and then slump forward into the ground. "Get the girl" is all I heard from the man who had stolen my parents from me his voice sounded off to my ears and the flash and flare of the angry fire made the shape of his face seem other worldly, his men moved towards me and I did the only thing I could, I ran.

I will say this because I think about it every moment of the day as soon as I no longer felt life I was in a race for my life. Only once in my life have I felt I have been in any real danger. I was walking from my car back to my dorm and a man approached me with less then honorable intentions. One minute he was lunging to grab me and the next he was on the ground unconscious with a fractured hand and a dislocated shoulder. I don't remember how I did it, I just remember thinking I needed to protect myself and...I did. My hands that I used to weave daisy chains found pressure points with painful accuracy and the long legs I often tripped over brought themselves up and sent the man flailing. He was down and I was safe and when I came back to myself I was horrified with the violence that had come from me, the flower child...I never told them. I never told my parents because how could I. How would the two most gentle people react to knowing the child they had raised could so easily hurt another living soul. Could I have protected myself that night against these men...maybe but when the thought came that I needed to protect myself all I knew was that my feet carried me away quickly, very quickly.

My gift is not something I can always control no matter how hard I try so when I took off running I didn't know if I was just going to be a girl running from the men who had just killed my parents or a freak using her curse like a coward. Turns out wether I wanted to or not I was going to use my gift and time seemed to speed up around me as I ran faster then anything that could be chasing me and after several minutes of hard running my body glowing a pale green light I found myself nearly fifty miles from my camp. I remember blue flashes of crackling light coming from their weapons as they tried to stop me but once I was going there was no stopping me. When I slowed down there was silence and thats when I broke. Time stopped for me again, something about having your world ripped away makes you forget about everything else. I spent an hour...or maybe several hours, I never really knew or cared to know. It took everything I had to get enough control to run back to them and when I did...

The fire had already taken half the camp, the bus was gone, my blanket that smelled of my mother, my fathers guitar, the chair where my mother sat every morning drinking her tea or sat and worked on her project with rapt attention. I walked forward and every step felt like I was crawling through mud until I was standing next to the shell of what had been my father. I slowly rolled him onto his back and pulled the dagger from his chest. It stayed in my fist like I couldn't let it go. My other hand was shaking so bad that it took me a few tries before I could reach up and slide his eye lids closed. With the dark of his shirt hiding the blood stain I could pretend he was sleeping. I wanted to stand and go to my mother but she was to far away and where she had fallen was still burning and it was like I knew I would never survive seeing her corpse destroyed like that so I stayed with my father just sitting beside him.

Now that I think about it it seems a bit surreal...a few hours prior we had been in the exact same position and yet they feel like completely different days, hell, they feel like completely different lives. Every day I close my eyes and see that light I always saw in my father fading. I think about how scared my mother must have been standing there in her gossamer skirts that always swung and shifted around her ankles when she walked as these men stormed into camp. How she must have screamed for us or begged for her life as they took her head in their hands and how her last seconds before they snapped her neck must have felt as she died alone. The therapist says I will learn to cope with that...that they will lose their vivacity in time, maybe two weeks is a bit much to ask for that to start maybe it will be years, maybe it will be never.

I sat there next to him for the rest of the night unmoving, I simply had no where to go, no one to call. The sun must have come up at some point because when I felt something behind me those instincts kicked in and I swung around with the dagger still in my hand catching the man across the leg making him stumble I stood taking hold of his neck and bringing the blade to hover over his throat. They said I looked feral with a snarl that was down right animalistic. "Terra! Terra Starr were here to help but we need you to let him go" The first words that reached me after a fair amount of yelling and I came to myself dropping back but still...I couldn't drop the dagger...It took my fathers life, it wasn't just some pointless weapon. It had a dark importance to me... The man who was talking kept his voice low like I was a cornered animal and perhaps I was.

They had to carry me to the medics because as soon as I remembered what was happening my brain just went off line. If these people were going to kill me then they could just go right ahead and do it. Instead I was patched up for injuries I don't remember getting and I was carted off to some secret hell hole (aka my current location) where I was dressed, and debriefed. I was attacked, let me say that again, my parents lives ended because people tried to attack me. SHIELD, they found me, they already knew who I was...what I could do and apparently while I was off trying to find my place in the world others, dangerous others, were deciding how to find me, take me, and use me...I haven't decided how to feel about that yet.

SHIELD says they don't know why I have my gifts or why anyone wants me, apparently even they don't know exactly where I was before the Starr's adopted me. They want to train me...they say they want to teach me to protect myself...Im not so naive anymore, they want me as a weapon just like the murders who destroyed my life they just found a nicer way to force me into it. The doors may not be locked but it still feels like a prison. I don't know what will come of this but...when you have nothing left to go back to you can only move forward...Thats all for now I guess...I have to go for first day of training...sigh...wish me luck.

There was a stern knock on Terra's door and she quickly powered down her computer pulling her long dark brown hair into a pony tail as it slide open on its own accord making her roll her eyes

"Agent Barton will be waiting for you in the training center" She said crisply and Terra didn't even bother to answer as she followed. They walked in silence and Terra felt like she was on parade, every one had the same expression, the same military walk and the same uniforms, something she flat out refused to to wear. Most people in the hallways gave her an indifferent nod mostly because from what she had gleaned from the interaction she had observed, Agent Hill was relatively high ranked.

"So is this going to be a daily thing or is this some sort of test?" Terra asked needing some break from the silence.

"Barton will gage your abilities then there will be a meeting about how best to structure your training regimen so that you can be brought to the appropriate level as quickly and efficiently as possible" the agent answered levelly.

"Ok...is this a meeting I will be involved in?"

"The meeting will involve information you are not yet cleared to hear"

"A meeting about me...that I cant be in...because Im not important enough to know...about myself?" Terra couldn't keep the sarcasm from her voice and she honestly didn't care to try. They returned to silence for the rest of the trip.

Inside the training room was like a meat heads dream. You had your average work out equipment but it didn't stop there with handing bags, several areas for sparing and in the back a parkour course and for once the room was empty save for one man who stood in the central sparring zone. He nodded to Hill and she turned to leave while Terra looked him over. He had thick arms and short blonde hair. He was small in stature but when he turned his blue gray gaze on her she saw a sharpness there she had never seen before.

"You have ten minutes to warm up then we start" He walked a few steps away and Terra froze not exactly sure what was even expected of her so she managed as few basic moves, touched her toes a few times and shrugged looking to him for a clue.

"We'll start with the treadmill" His comments were short and gruff and something told Terra he was about as excited to be here as she was. He looked younger yet some how like he had lived more life then most. She recognized the haunted look in the dark circles under his eyes and she was instantly curious. She stepped up to the machine and started on an easy jog.

"So, what do you do here for SHIELD?" She was terrible at small talk but if this was her life now she figured she should make some sort of effort. He didn't answer as he reached up and cranked up her speed till she felt like she was nearly sprinting, the pace didn't allow for conversation as she fought to keep from tripping and making a complete fool of her self. Less then five minutes later and gasping for air she gave up hitting the emergency stop, she didn't miss the disappointed frown. The next tests were the same as she went through pull ups, push ups, elementary basics until he asked her to do a hand stand to test her balance which made her laugh but he didn't join in...Her attempts only made his frown deepen.

When they finally got to sparing he was down right mad so when he got into position to fight her she began to wonder if this was their plan to kill her all along. His first strike took her by surprise and three seconds after his go she was on her back trying to get back the breath that had been knocked from her lungs.

"Again" he barked and Terra puled herself to her feet. He gave his go and again she was on her back. The third time she rushed him before his mark but it didn't matter he simply stepped out of the way and kicked her legs out from underneath her. Her knee throbbing she simply laid flat on her stomach for a few breaths

"Again" he growled and she shook her head.

"That wasn't a question Starr, I said again" She huffed managing to stand.

"What do you want from me Im not some machine, I cant fight you because your damn boss thinks he can make me into a killer. Thats not who I am, Im done" she spun around to walk away and he grabbed her arm to stop her. She saw it happening this time and didn't try to stop it, the flash of green light that started in the middle of her chest where if glowed brightest spreading down her body running along her veins and time slowed around her. The word protect roared in her mind and her fist snapped out catching him in the nose. Slowed by her gift he couldn't move to avoid the kick to the back of his leg that sent him to the ground her foot pressed into his throat. The green light faded back to her chest leaving her panting as time came back to speed and Clint could move again if it wasn't for the pressure on his wind pipe.

"I said Im done" she growled before stalking off, this time he didn't try to stop her as he wiped away the blood pouring from his nose.

Holding a towel to his face Clint walked into the conference room.

"Wow what happened to you bird boy" Stark leaned back in his chair smugly with his feet propped on the table.

"I ran into something hard" he answered sarcastically

"Harder then your head? impossible" Tony gasped dramatically and the archer rolled his eyes as he took his seat next to Natasha who passed him a bottle of water. Banner sat across from them trying to not look as nervous as he still felt when in SHIELDs walls.

"Put your head down between your legs" he suggested and Clint nodded taking the advice. Fury came in with Steve beside him taking his seat at the head of the table, Agent Hill came behind them handing tablets to each of the members.

"Look the band already exists and were getting along so well why cant we just do this at the tower?" Tony huffed annoyed and the director ignored him. Banner was taking the time while Tony did his usual posturing to read the material. The information on the tablet all involved a young women who he had never seen before and by the picture looked like she had no idea she was being photographed.

"Terra Nova Starr has been on SHIELDs radar since she was twelve and disappeared from for her sixth grade classroom. She has abilities SHIELD considers potentially dangerous to civilians but with non threatening tendencies. She was classified as a resource that could be reevaluated at a later time" Fury began

"That is until two weeks ago when her home was attacked and we had to step in. It is no longer safe for her to roam free. Since its creation she has been on the list of potential recruits for the Avengers initiative but since SHIELD had stayed mostly uninvolved in her life until now she was left out. Things have changed"

"You want to have her join the team?' Steve asked ignoring the information in front of him preferring to just ask what he needed to know for now.

"That is the plan" Fury nodded

"Clint evaluated her today to check for potential problems we may have"

"She's average on most fronts. She has no endurance, minimal muscle mass, and abysmal reflexes on her own but once shes riled up and her powers kick in its a whole different story. She could put Tasha to shame with her right hook and I was useless against her. Physically we could build her up, emotionally she's still reeling."

"Our team is already a stew of emotional bullshit, whats one more" Stark added sarcastically as he flipped through the info till he could get to what he wanted.

"Can we really afford that kind of stress on this team?" The red headed woman asked seriously.

"She just lost everything, at the least some of use can relate to her maybe..."

"Holy shit she can stop time!" Tony interrupted.

"She can alter the passage to time but from what we have seen she can only speed it up or slow it down and only in her immediate area but the potential is there" Clint shrugged.

"She needs our help and she could be a powerful addition to the team" Steve added

"How the hell do we expect to help this chick...have you seen us" Tony bit at the captain.

"We can try" he answered tightly.

"She still has several phycological evaluations to complete before this will be decided" the director concluded standing to leave.

"In the mean time prepare for the possibility"

"Has anyone asked her?" Banner spoke up, his chocolate eyes looking concerned.

"She is aware she has no where else to go" Was the answer he got but he didn't seem to like it.

"Thats not what Im asking, has anyone asked her if she wants to do this?" The dark skinned director sighed narrowing his eye.

"We are doing everything we can to protect this world, sometimes that means making the hard decisions and hurting someones feelings" He left on that and Bruce met Tonys eyes both silently agreeing they didn't like his reasponse. Clint and Natasha seemed to agree.

"The kid is hurting, that was pretty clear today" Clint sighed a little more relaxed now that is boss was gone.

"She's letting this situation get the best of her. She just needs to toughen up" the assassin answered blandly

"Yeah she's probably not the heartless Russian agent yet, give that another week and Im sure it will grow in nicely" Tony snarked earning him a hot glare from the woman

"People die, dwelling on it doesn't make you a better person"

"No but it does make you human"

"Enough you two. This girl is likely going to become one of us. Frankly I hope she does because we can probably do her a lot more good then being stuck in this place will...No offense" Steve nodded to the agents and they both shrugged in agreement. There was silence in the room but Tony Stark was never much for silence.

"So...any suggestions for move night?"

Well that went longer then I anticipated... Any who hope you enjoyed chapter two. If you have anything you want to say please feel free to review. This time we learned a little more about Starr and the team made an appearance. Hope to see you in chapter three. Thanks

-Thieves


	3. Chapter 3

Hello, So this chapter is a bit of a change. We give Terra a break to change gears and get a little taste of whats been happening with our (at least my) favorite bad guy. As always I own nothing but I do enjoy playing around with the idea. Thanks for reading and enjoy.

Loki sat, his back to the only person who had bothered to visit him since his imprisonment began in a room that despite how hard his mother tried still felt exactly as it was, a prison.

"Loki please, if you can keep your tongue in check there is a chance arguments can be made that given what has happened your father.."

"He's not my father" He hissed

"Mistakes were made on all fronts Loki, we should have been honest but we did what we believed was best for our son because that is what you will always be" She tried to reason but after nearly three months her words had done little to convince him.

"So thats what I am then. I am still a prince of Asgard, still a son of Odin while I rot in the cell he placed me" he spun to face her but he realized it was the wrong choice. Some how facing to women who he still loved as his mother made it harder to accept.

"Your actions placed you here Loki, there are some calling for your head for your actions against the realms!" she cried desperately and he turned from her with a growl tossing the small object he had been occupying himself aside hearing it clank loudly against the wall.

"Then let them have it!" he roared but he immediately wished he hadn't as he looked back to see her looking so heart broken.

"Never say that, never throw your life away so willingly Loki. You have done wrong but that does not mean you can not turn from that and still do greatness with your life." her voice was low and broken.

"You say that you can still see good in me but I can not feel it. After everything..." He took a deep breath managing to reconstruct a cold mask and Frigga knew he would not speak with her again.

"The trail will begin this evening" She whispered as a farewell and her image vanished.

He had little left to his name save for his reputation as a silver tongued trickster so as he was walked to the throne room in chains surrounded by guards to stand before Odin and the royal council he kept his chin proud a small smirk curling his lips. He couldn't help the sarcastic tilt to his head when the cuffs at his ankles clacked together

"You wished to speak with me?" he asked mockingly but Odin chose to ignore it.

"I really don't see what all the fuss is about" he shrugged glancing around at each of the blank expression that met him.

"Do you truly not feel the gravity of your crimes. You have brought war, destruction, and death upon innocent people"

"In what tales were the people of Jotunhiem innocent, certainly none that I was raised to believe. I went to Midgard to rule as their benevolent god just as you once did. You made it quite clear I was never going to be worthy of Asgard so I figured you would see no folly in seeking out my own throne as was my birthright." Loki answered

"It was your birthright to die if I had not taken you into my home and raised you as my own" The kings voice rising in anger. Loki felt the chill in his chest.

"I was never a true Odinson in your eyes. You never cared for me I was simply another stolen relic that out lived its purpose. Thor was always the golden child. Do not pretend you have ever considered me to be his equal"

"All this because Loki feels slighted" the king sneered

"Slighted, you believe that is what I feel...MY LIFE WAS A LIE!" his face was red as his voice reverberated off the walls, several council member glanced among themselves and his sudden fury. Loki had to take several deep breaths after his out burst angry with himself for allowing his emotions to show through. There was silence in the hall before Odin spoke again.

"Do you feel regret for the crimes you have committed?" He asked evenly but Loki only cocked a brow in mock exasperation.

"There has been evidence provided that the actions you took were not entirely your own do you have anything to say on this?" That made Loki pause suddenly on edge, they couldn't know. He wasn't exactly looking to be executed but it would be a far kinder end then if his secrets were revealed now.

"I acted on my own accord" He bit out tightly though the king seemed to sense he was more trying to dodge the question then answer it.

"These event came on the heels of a great emotional trauma but this is no excuse for the lives that were lost..."

"What does the All-father care of midgardian lives, you wont even allow the vermin in your halls" He interrupted.

"Do you wish to die?" His once father asked seriously

"Not particularly but as of late I have not been overly fond of living" he shrugged noncommittally

"A trial has been prepared for you so that you may consider your crimes. At its end your fate will be decided. Should you show remorse for your actions your life will be spared. If you do not or if another life ends by your hands while you are completing your trails you will be put to death, the decision is final" The staff struck the floor and Loki was taken aback expecting a very different out come to this little chat.

"And what pray tell are you asking of me" he dead panned.

"You will be told in three days time when you are set to leave" that sent him reeling again, they would send him away from the palace? It seemed un likely.

Back in the cell he was forced to wait to hear word. His mother didn't visit again which worried him more. The prison on first glance seemed like it would be pleasant enough especially when his mother had ensured some of his books and furniture were allowed but the blinding white lights never ceased and it made the passage of time feel sluggish. It could have been a day or a month and he would likely not know the difference it he stayed here any longer. When there was the sound of guards moving out through the halls only to stop outside his cell he figured his time had come. At the very least it was a change from this boring existence.

He had to hide his surprise with a smirk when Thor was standing there waiting with them. He had never come to visit the dark haired prince since their return but gauging by the look of guarded optimism on his face he believed just as their mother did.

"My prince" He greeted formally bowing sarcastically.

"Do not be this way Brother" Thor sighed and Loki rolled his eyes.

"I am not your brother or have you not heard" he smirked at how uncomfortable Thor seemed not only with the subject but watching the guards slip on the chains that bound his wrists and ankles to his waist restricting his movements.

"That will not be necessary, he will need his legs" Thor barked and they uncertainly released the chains binding his ankle though his wrists were still captured.

"And where exactly will I be taken?" Loki was curious but he feigned disinterest as the started walking.

"Father will explain" was all he got and he was to annoyed to remind him it was not his father. The glares he got as he walked were far more open then he was use to. When he had been their prince Loki had always seen the looks of disdain and mistrust but this was different, now they openly showed their mirth for him as he trudged along beside their beloved golden boy it almost made him sick. His lip curled in disgust but he couldn't tell if it was for the situation or it was being turned inward. When the reached the edge of the rainbow bridge Loki started to panic. He faltered for a moment but Thor did not allow him to stop as he wrapped a large hand around the thinner mans upper arm and all but hauled him along.

Odin was standing beside the gatekeeper in silence watching his sons approach his face stoic as ever.

"So this is how I will die then, your justice is to send me back to the frozen rock I was meant to die on all those years ago before you saved me" He spat sarcastically and the old kings lips twitched downwards.

"You have committed great crimes against the realms Loki and a price must be paid for it. There are whisperings however that you were not the master of your own will and there is some blame to be had on myself for your actions though I stand by my decision. As such you will not be executed as of yet but a trial has been set to test if you are deserving of a second chance" Loki tilted his head curiously

"You have brought unknown enemies to Midgard that they alone are not prepared to face. You have been tasked with assisting in its defense until you can see with certainty the error in your judgment as well as show true remorse for your actions. In one years time you will be brought before the courts once again if we feel you have not succeeded in this task you will be put to death." Odin looked at him critically when laughter bubbled up from the trickster.

"You intend to send me to Midgard and you think the mortal will what...assist in my rehabilitation?" He laughed.

"You think they will allow me among them so that I may now protect the very realm I wished to have bowing at my feet" his laughter became border line manic and Thor looked to his father questioningly

"My friends at arms may have qualms in working along side Loki after the way they suffered at his hand...Surely there is another way" He asked and the king shook his head.

"Jotunhiem calls for his blood to bathe their halls and council does much the same. You have burned far to many bridges in your short life Loki, it is this or nothing" Loki considered it for a moment before smirking mischievously.

"Very well" He purred offering his wrists to be unbound for his departure. The All-father reached forward but before Loki could stop him he slipped a cuff onto each wrist and the once prince sank to his knees screaming in pain.

"What have you done?!" Thor barked as he dropped down beside him trying to comfort him. Odin only watched as Loki withered in pain his shouts dying as the pain released him.

"Don't think me so foolish as to allow you among the Midgardians with your powers fully intact. The cuffs will bind the majority of your magics" Loki scowled at him from the ground as he attempted to stand with as much dignity as he could still panting from the echoes of pain caused by having something fundamentally part of him forced back and locked away. He could still feel his power resting deep in his core but as he tried to pull it up it slipped from his control and he gave a frustrated growl.

"Then you will have me defenseless among my enemies" He hissed

"You are hardly defenseless Loki" Odin stepped aside and the gate keeper took his cue to slide his sword into the newly rebuilt gate to the realms.

"Besides Thor will accompany you to ensure you do not come to to much harm at the mortals hands" he rolled his eyes at the thought as the lights surrounded him and he was hurtled through space.

This was the first look into how Loki will tie into all of this. So I hope you enjoyed it I try to make it as close to their character as I can but I do have to make some changes. As always please review and I look forward to seeing you again in the next chapter.

-Thieves


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